Research May Explain Link between Obesity, Diabetes and Sleep

Nowadays, numerous Americans are either diabetic, obese or both. Although poor exercise and eating habits play a big role for many people, others may be able to blame sleeping problems. Over the decades, a mountain of research has uncovered an association between insufficient sleep, diabetes and obesity. Now, a recent study may have explained the correlation.

Insulin and Fat Cells

New research indicates that inadequate sleep may make it hard for our bodies’ fat cells to utilize insulin the way they are supposed to. Published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, the study looked at several healthy young people, who were placed on restricted sleep schedules. After a few days of sleeping only four hours per night, these subjects had fat cells that were 30 percent less responsive to insulin.

The researchers think that this inefficient response may cause lipids to escape into surrounding blood and tissue, which could be the root cause for insulin resistance, which stands as a common precursor to Type 2 diabetes. According to associate professor Matthew Brady who co-authored the study, his team discovered that just four nights of inadequate sleep seemed to prompt each subject’s metabolic function to look like that of someone a decade or two older.

A Serious Issue

Nowadays, obesity and diabetes have become significant problems in the United States, where inadequate sleep has become commonplace. Often, people can blame poor lifestyle habits and stress for their sleep problems; however, all too often, sleep apnea is the root cause.